Even Dead Lions and Roots Can Revive (2)
[At that moment, the deepest chamber of Jageommun. The reception room.]
A dark room lit only by flickering candlelight. A young man stood there in black martial robes, hands clasped behind his back.
"It worked?"
"Yeah."
The woman in the black mask, Dang Yuri, replied, and the young man tilted his head in disbelief.
"You think Moyong would fall for a cheap trick like that?"
"That's how good people are."
"Tch. Suckers."
The young man openly clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Being too nice is a problem too. They get schemed against without knowing it, moving exactly as the villains want because of that pity."
"And that villain is you."
"Huhu."
The young man covered his right eye with one hand.
"That's right. I, Soyangma Son Geun, am the mastermind behind it all."
His black robes billowed dramatically as he spread his arms wide.
"By the Cheonma's command, I cast Seophonsul on the Jageommun sect leader and his daughter. For the Magyo's dominion over the world!"
"For the dominion."
"What? Why the half-hearted response? The mission was a success, wasn't it?"
Son Geun shrugged.
"Jageommun's leader Yugoein and his daughter Yugiyeon have infiltrated deep into Moyong Sega. The caregivers are in position to capture the family's experts with their own bodies if needed. All that's left is kidnapping the Divine Dragon Physician, Seok Mu Wol."
"You don't like that part much, do you?"
"Huhu..."
Son Geun laughed meaningfully.
"Even if the Little Cheonma has taken a liking to the Divine Dragon, do you think the Cheonma will let him be?"
"......"
"He was told to kill Moyong Sega's daughter, but saved her instead. It wouldn't be strange if the Cheonma flew into a rage and stormed into the martial world right then."
"To kill Seok Mu Wol?"
"Does killing him take any real effort? Just flick a finger from afar—boom! Done."
Son Geun pointed alternately at his own heart and Dang Yuri's.
"So when do I get the invitation? Hasn't Yugiyeon kept her 'fiancé' outside long enough to fully infiltrate Moyong Sega?"
"Contact will come soon. Just as you planned... the little miss Yugiyeon will pine for her fiancé Son Geun so much that Moyong Sega's experts have no choice but to come fetch you."
"Huhu. Looking forward to it. The day I enter Moyong Sega."
"What are you really after?"
"Hm?"
"Just curious."
Son Geun eyed Dang Yuri suspiciously at her question.
"What's with you? Do you like me or something?"
"You're crazy?"
"Not that, then. Do you like Seok Mu Wol?"
"Better than you, yeah."
"Heh heh. I see. Whatever. As a disciple of the Poison Demon, you're probably just testing how far your poisons work. Besides, you... have an unforgivable sin with the Divine Dragon Seok Mu Wol, don't you?"
"......"
Dang Yuri's eyes grew icy, and a purple aura began to seep from her hand.
"Getting venomous, huh. I didn't say anything wrong. Whoa, okay, okay. Put the poison away. My bad."
"If it was a slip, you shouldn't have thought to say it in the first place."
"Sheesh. Things are going so smoothly it's almost ridiculous."
Son Geun approached the window and looked up.
"While the Central Plains martial world wallowed in the complacency of peace for two generations, now it's time to stir the ripples in that still water."
He reached toward the sky.
"I, Soyangma Son Geun, shall sow chaos in the martial world!"
"......"
Dang Yuri, watching silently from behind, pinched the back of her hand furiously with her other, desperately holding back whatever was rising inside her.
"...Huhu."
Unable to hold it, she let out a low laugh in mock agreement.
"UHAHAHAHA!"
"......"
Dang Yuri turned away from Son Geun's maniacal laughter and slowly closed her eyes. To think such a fool was one of the Ten Protectors, disciple of the hypnosis master Yangma. The future of Magyo wasn't her concern anymore—she'd already switched sides. All she wanted to say was that escape favors the smart.
Whoosh!
I swung the wooden sword. I had no reason to wield a blade except for acupuncture or surgery, but suddenly here I was, swinging a practice sword.
"Come on, loosen up more. Like this."
Moyong Seol, standing beside me, demonstrated with perfect form.
Slash!
Even with a light swing, the air split with a sharp sound—sword qi utterly different from mine. Not even the Chilseong Geom established by Sword Saint Moyong Cheon, but the most basic stance of the Samjae Swordsmanship.
"Tricky."
"I've noticed before—you've never really held a sword, have you?"
"Correct. Time spent on a sword was time away from my needle."
"Hmm... I don't really want to pry into your background..."
"All latent assassins are trained to at least first-rate level with the sword."
When we orphans were captured, others started by practicing killing living things to survive.
"Especially the Salgeom—the killing sword. Before ten thousand repetitions, the first lesson is the feel of piercing life."
"...Life?"
"The weak-hearted killed rabbits and such beasts. The unlucky were thrown in groups into wild boar dens. And some... had to kill each other to survive."
"I see."
Killing rabbits with daggers, boars, or people.
"Those chosen by the Ten Demons had to cling to life viciously. The Godok was like putting poison insects in a jar—the last one standing survives."
Cave orphans survived by growing accustomed to swinging blades and taking lives.
"Kill or be killed. If the target lives, the assassin dies. That's what we learned from childhood."
Failing meant becoming a 'practice target' for other orphans, killed routinely.
"Of course, I was a bit different."
I held a unique position among them.
"My master took me in from the start, so I stayed away from the killing."
"Have you... ever killed anyone?"
"Yes."
Whoosh.
"Fought with swords like this, ended a man dying from a bad wound more swiftly, mercifully."
"And through you, I caused the deaths of Yugoein and Yugiyeon—so that's killing too."
"That was me who killed them, doctor."
"Husband and wife are one body, so it counts."
"Don't twist it like that...?"
Moyong Seol blushed and cleared her throat.
"Ahem. Then from now on, I'll be your sword, doctor—slashing down anyone who targets you."
"Grateful, but one thing a man can't yield."
"What?"
"I protect my woman with my own strength."
Whoosh.
"Watch. One day I'll surpass you and shield you with my power."
"...You'll need a lot of effort."
"You and I are both just starting serious martial arts training now, aren't we?"
Both Moyong Seol and I were truly beginning proper martial cultivation right now.
"I'm already at the Peak realm."
"No problem. I learn fast, luckily."
Whoosh!
"Oh my."
"How's that?"
"...Your foundation was solid, but yeah, you've got talent."
Moyong Seol watched my swing seriously.
"At this rate, second-rate in a few months... maybe even first-rate."
"And you? How strong in those months?"
"Hmm... Super Peak at least?"
"Then I'll catch up in about ten years."
"Wow, such optimism. Martial arts aren't a joke!"
"That's my resolve as a man."
Shifting stance, I swung horizontally.
"Even starting from basics."
Whoosh!
"To protect my wife and kids with this sword—who can mock that will for starting late?"
"Wife... kids..."
"...Hold on."
I stabbed the sword into the ground and approached Moyong Seol.
"You don't want kids or something, do you?"
"No, it's just..."
"You serious?"
This was grave.
"If that's your wish, our daily kisses will keep you from conceiving forever."
"But... if we want one, you could knock me up right here, right?"
"Well, yeah, but!"
"Doctor."
Moyong Seol narrowed her eyes and pinched my cheek.
"How about three years—no, one year of just enjoying happiness first?"
"......"
"We're young, plenty of time. Then I'll steel myself."
She grinned determinedly.
"I'll be a perfect mother, healthy, no harm to the baby."
"...Well."
My knowledge had grown.
"No choice. I'll make you crave a child ASAP."
"How?"
"With love, obviously."
I scooped her up.
"Eek!"
It felt more like she let me, but even as a doctor, I had the stamina to carry my love—physicians need endurance.
"I'll make you want my child, no doubt."
"Heh, then you'll have to hold back, worried about getting me pregnant."
"That's fine."
I carried her to the bedroom.
"You'll love it even more after the baby."
And a day later.
"Mmph! Mrrrgh!!"
Moyong Sega's warriors had kidnapped a man.